*Intractable pain – We provide patients with treatment plans to follow if they do not have medical records outlining a minimum 6 months of failed treatments.

**PTSD – A patient who does not have a diagnosismay be evaluated and diagnosed during their initial visit. See below for diagnosis criteria.

Our compassionate doctors and nurse practitioners are experts in medical cannabis and are ready to help you get your life back, legally. We emphasize in-depth visits that allow us to understand your healing journey, and provide personalized treatments that get great results. If you are ready for a new way to care for your health, then we are here to help.

Once you are qualified by one of our doctors or nurse practitioners, we provide you with a tamper proof certification to participate in Maine’s medical cannabis program. To be protected under Maine’s law, you are required to have a certification and a Maine-issued picture identification card. The certification will allow you to purchase medical cannabis from dispensaries or caregivers, grow up to six (6) flowering plants yourself, and possess up to 2.5 ounces of fully processed cannabis.

**We advise you to be wary of a provider who spends 5-10 minutes with you or who does not review your medical records, perform a physical or require follow up visits.

We offer a sliding scale for patients with low incomes.

Why Join Our Practice?

We stand behind you and your certification. If you have a qualifying condition and medical cannabis treatment is indicated, we follow state law and regulations to certify you for legal use of medical cannabis. Our priority is to help you get better while saving you time and money. Our programs come from our experience successfully treating thousands of patients.

We educate you on how to correctly use medical cannabis to get the best results for your condition (dosage, frequency, strains, delivery system, medical interactions and more). Our medical cannabis education includes patient guides, videos, and personal consultations with experts.

We offer free legal advice with an attorney, deep discounts on supplements and vaporizers, and access to Dr. Dustin Sulak’s online education site – Healer.com

We take time to listen to you and provide you with effective integrative medicine (safe and natural) to combine with cannabis use. Based on your condition and budget, this medical care may include osteopathic manipulation, other herbs that compliment cannabis, nutritional supplements, mind-body activities, lifestyle suggestions, and more.

We will collaborate with your other providers, make referrals, write letters and provide testimony in legal situations. We do whatever it takes to help you, because we care.

We are a community and hold workshops for the public and providers to learn about the medical benefits of cannabis, caregiving, and integrative healthcare.

Have questions? Want to setup an appointment for a Medical Cannabis Evaluation? Click Here.

PTSD Visits – Evaluation, Diagnosis & Treatments

When exposed to a dangerous situation, it’s natural to feel afraid. The “fight or flight” response can help us to protect ourselves and avoid injury. This response includes changes in digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and many other aspects of physiology. It is also accompanied by emotional reactivity, impairment of rational thought and concentration.

In most situations, after the danger has passed, this reaction also passes. We can return to digesting our food, thinking clearly, paying attention, relaxing, and enjoying life.

For some people, returning to their lives isn’t so easy. When a person suffers from ongoing symptoms after experiencing a traumatic event, it is called post-traumatic stress (PTS). If these symptoms persist for more than a month and interfere with life’s activities, the person may be diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

PTSD develops after a terrifying event that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. A person who develops PTSD may be the one who was in danger, but people can also develop PTSD after simply witnessing a traumatic event. Furthermore, not everyone with PTSD has lived through a dangerous event. Some people get PTSD after a friend or family member experiences danger or harm. The sudden, unexpected death of a loved one can also cause PTSD.

PTSD affects about 10% of the population at some point in their lives. It can occur at any age, including childhood. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, and there is some evidence that susceptibility to the disorder may run in families. Anyone can get PTSD, including war veterans and survivors of physical and sexual assault, abuse, accidents, disasters, and many other traumatic events.

If you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD by one of your healthcare providers, you can qualify for medical cannabis certification by making an appointment at Integr8 Health. We will get to know you and understand your challenges, determine if cannabis is the right treatment for you, and provide education on how to best use cannabis to take advantage of the benefits and avoid the side effect.

If you suspect you suffer from PTSD, but have not been diagnosed or treated for this condition, please take the PTSD test below. Our providers are able to diagnose PTSD after performing an interview and medical examination. If we determine that you have PTSD, and that cannabis is an appropriate treatment, we can provide a tamper proof certificate for legal use of cannabis in Maine.

The signs and symptoms of PTSD are grouped into three categories, listed below.

1. Re-experiencing symptoms

Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating

Nightmares

Frightening thoughts

Recurrence of physical pain associated with the trauma

Re-experiencing symptoms may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also trigger re-experiencing.

2. Avoidance symptoms

Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience

Feeling emotionally numb

Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry

Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past

Having trouble remembering the dangerous event

Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car.

3. Hyperarousal symptoms

Being easily startled

Feeling tense or “on edge”

Irritable behavior and angry outbursts

Reckless or self-destructive behavior

Having difficulty sleeping

Hyperarousal symptoms are usually constant, instead of being triggered by things that remind one of the traumatic event. They can make the person feel stressed and angry. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating.

Treatments that Work

My colleagues and I have been incredibly impressed by the relief and healing we witness in our patients who use medical cannabis to treat post traumatic stress. A number of recent research studies confirm these findings. Other treatments are also very helpful, and the efficacy of these treatments is likely enhanced by cannabis.

Cannabis is excellent at reducing or removing the many symptoms of PTS. It works in a part of the brain that controls emotional memory, and literally helps patients experience life in the present moment. When under the influence of cannabis, patients with PTS can finally stop dwelling on the fearful memories. They are able to release their anxiety, smile, and pay attention to something beautiful that’s happening right now around them. Cannabis decreases the physical pain, prevents flashbacks and nightmares, and is an excellent treatment for insomnia. It frees patients from the great burden of their stored trauma.

Over and over again, we hear patients say things like “this herb gave me my life back,” or, “I finally feel like myself again.” Patients can use cannabis and finally get some work done, enjoy their children, appreciate all they do have, and get back to their lives.